NucleoTide – In the 2023 Collegiate Inventors Competition, a Duke University student innovator was chosen for particular recognition for his solution to promptly identify potentially catastrophic algal outbreaks in the environment.
Undergraduate Daniel Collins was chosen the Arrow Electronics “People’s Choice” prize winner for his NucleoTide concept.
NucleoTide is a molecular diagnostic platform that employs CRISPR-based biosensors to identify marine infections and dangerous algae blooms in real time. It permits on-site ocean health monitoring and provides results in less than an hour without waiting for lab results with a low-cost, hand-held device that filters and processes water samples.
The annual global economic effect of hazardous algae blooms is estimated to be $8 billion.
More than 20,000 individuals globally voted, breaking the competition’s record for online participation.
The finals were held at the USPTO’s offices in Alexandria, Virginia.
Winners receive financial incentives as well as support from the USPTO in the patent clearance process.
NucleoTide
“The Collegiate Inventors Competition showcases the next generation of game changers — young inventors who demonstrate an innovative mindset that empowers them to solve the world’s greatest challenges,” stated Michael Oister, CEO of the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Adi Mittal, a medical student at the University of Pittsburgh, won first place in the Graduate division for his Cerebral Aneurysm Test (CAT-7).
Nearly 7 million people in the United States suffer from brain aneurysms each year. They can cause neurological issues and rupture, resulting in potentially catastrophic brain bleeding. The CAT-7 test is the first easy whole-blood-based diagnostic test for detecting the formation of a cerebral aneurysm.
A team from Georgia Tech received first place in the Undergraduate division for a diagnostic technology called FADpad. A test strip incorporated in a feminine hygiene product collects a menstrual blood sample. A quick lab test finds biomarkers in diseases such as the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical and five other types of cancer, as well as HIV, the AIDS virus.
